I think this is the only case in which I think Andrew Lloyd Webber's score is perfect. I adore the story, as I love the original film. I do not have a exact favorite Norma, because they all bring something special to the piece. I have the original London, Los Angeles, Canadian, German, And Spanish cast recordings, I am trying to get the Dutch one, even though I know the Joe is awful.

I love parts of it. I think With One Look, As If We Never Said Goodbye, and the title song are three of the best songs ALW has ever written in terms of both the music and the lyrical content creating the Norma and Joe characters and advancing the story.

I love the orchestrations as well; they evoke the era, the mood, and the settings so well.

Glenn Close is my favorite Norma by far; I hope they hurry up and make a film (hopefully directed by Sam Mendes) before she gets too old. Elaine Paige is also a very good Norma.

I love Sunset Boulevard, it's definitely one of ALW's masterpieces both music wise and story wise. I like the original film and therefore like the fact that they kept a lot of things from the dialogue and story when making the musical. Are they still planning to make that movie version of the musical?

I absolutely adore Sunset! The recent actor-musician version in London was an amazing piece of theatre and I'd urge anyone to see it when it tours, especially if Katherine Evans does it again, she was spectacular as Norma.

HerMajesty wrote:I absolutely adore Sunset! The recent actor-musician version in London was an amazing piece of theatre and I'd urge anyone to see it when it tours, especially if Katherine Evans does it again, she was spectacular as Norma.

I absolute agree about the recent production at the Comedy Theatre! It was beautifully done and the actor/singer/musicians were all so talented and gave wonderful performances. It was good to see Dave Willetts back on stage again as Max, and Kathryn Evans was definitely one of the best ever as Norma. Definitely one of ALW's best works, and a riveting storyline. I saw it four times... shame it had to close.

EarlFan wrote:Are they still planning to make that movie version of the musical?

Last I heard, ALW now has no interest in it, which, if true, is a shame. It would be, obviously, an amazing movie.

Ah, too bad. If that's the case I hope he changes his mind. I really would like to see a movie version.

I'm not sure that's quite accurate -- from my understanding, ALW is keen to transform this into a movie (although in this case he'd actually have to do it PROPERLY given how esteemed the original with Gloria Swanson is), but Paramount who have the rights aren't keen at all and for the moment they're veto-ing it, despite all these rumours flying around that it will happen with Glenn Close. And given how ALW's last stage-to-screen transitition went, is it really surprising Paramount are reluctant?

Agreed the revival at the Comedy Theatre with Ms Evans was fantastic. I also enjoyed the ginormous Adelphi version with Elaine Paige, but overall I think Evans had the edge.

I got into this show pretty recently (saw the original film version first, and then listened to the various cast albums of the musical), and I adore it. So far, I think Dihann Carroll is my favorite Norma, though I also really liked Glenn Close and Helen Schneider (from the German cast). Rex Smith and Michael Ball are tied for my favorite Joe, but I also quite liked Uwe Kröger in the role. (Yeah, I know, I was really surprised by that as well.) I'd love to see this one live, and I wish ALW had decided to put his money and talents into doing the film version of this musical rather than a certain West End project he's enamored with now. Ah well... C'est la vie.

I'd love to see a film version of this (Hugh Jackman or John Barrowman for Joe Gillis, anyone?), but it would definitely be a risk--the original is such an iconic screen classic (and rightly so) that any remake, musical or otherwise, would have impossibly big shoes to fill. Still, I love the soundtrack, IMO the last really decent thing to come from ALW.

Saw Hugh Jackman in the role of Joe in the original Australian production of Sunset Boulevard in the 90's before he found hollywood fame, he was great in the role. Have always been disspointed that it was due to other work commitments that stopped him going into the Phantom movie (yep another dissapointed with a certain movie vocal performance)

Well, he did get to sing in Happy Feet. But I agree that he should get to do a live-action musical film soon... and Sunset would certainly be a great place for him to start since he's done the stage show.

LadyCDaae wrote:Seriously, how come Gerard Butler and Pearce Brosnan have done movie musicals and he hasn't? Does not compute.

~LCD

I was about to write that he's been more careful when picking roles... But a quick look at his movie credit list would make that a non-valid statement... There's some odd movies in that list. And I say that as a Jackman fan!

But I think I would attribute it to a mixture of bad timing (he was offered/considered for the Phantom role before Butler, after all, but was signed up in "The Boy from Oz") and a will to do other stuff (X-men and stage stuff). However, there's no doubt in my mind he will one day to a grand movie musical!

_________________JOSEFINE TO THE PHANTOM:You come off as... somewhat... rough...

Sunset Boulevard is definately one of my favourites and I think, one of ALW:s best works. I listened to the LA recording a few days ago and thought a bit melancholically that "this was when ALW still did great things and when it was still a thrill to hear his latest work". Anyway, I saw that gigantic production they mounted in the 90s, twice in London and once in Germany and absolutely loved it, but I would very much like to see some of the smaller productions that have been done since then. There is one playing in Karlstad in Sweden at the moment and there'll be another one next autumn at the Gothenburg opera house. I'm quite interested in seeing the Gothenburg one. Oh, and I've always wanted Det Ny Teater in Copenhagen to do a production.

According to IMDb, Jackman is rumored to be attached to an in-development Carousel film; he'd be a great Billy Bigelow.

I don't think he's made any particularly odd role choices, nothing that stands out as really desperate or clearly terrible from the start. Some haven't panned out in the end, but I think he tries to make good choices. And whether it was luck or whether he wouldn't have taken the role even if he didn't have a conflict, I think the choice or happenstance that led him not to do the Phantom film was a good move or happy coincidence for his career. He would have been better than Butler, but he still couldn't have saved that movie.

SenorSwanky wrote:According to IMDb, Jackman is rumored to be attached to an in-development Carousel film; he'd be a great Billy Bigelow.

I've heard that too. I know he's done a concert performance of the role, and I heard him sing a few bars of "Soliloquy" on Inside the Actors Studio. Carousel isn't my favorite R&H (the handling of the domestic abuse aspect sits wrong with me) but I'd definitely be interested in seeing Jackman's interpretation of the role.

And whether it was luck or whether he wouldn't have taken the role even if he didn't have a conflict, I think the choice or happenstance that led him not to do the Phantom film was a good move or happy coincidence for his career. He would have been better than Butler, but he still couldn't have saved that movie.

Point taken--there would still be the gaudy sets, crap makeup, and Schumacher's ham-handed approach to the material to deal with. Still, the singing wouldn't have been as painful.

And whether it was luck or whether he wouldn't have taken the role even if he didn't have a conflict, I think the choice or happenstance that led him not to do the Phantom film was a good move or happy coincidence for his career. He would have been better than Butler, but he still couldn't have saved that movie.

Point taken--there would still be the gaudy sets, crap makeup, and Schumacher's ham-handed approach to the material to deal with.

I agree here -- I remember in the final days of TMCPMC the campaign leaders said that disaster could be averted if MC was cast. Frankly, not even MC could have saved it. Not with those creatives, in particular that director...

Moving back to Sunset, I finally framed and hung a poster I've had for a while now but hadn't found anywhere to put it. It's a poster from the LA production of Sunset with the American premiere cast, signed by pretty much everyone I think, including Glenn Close, George Hearn, Alan Campbell and Judy Kuhn:

Scorp wrote:I never saw that tour. I have the single that came from it, though. I like Earl on it but Faith Brown is not pleasant to listen to in the slightest IMHO!

I've got the single too. Faith Brown is not awfully bad but I don't like her voice. Apparently ALW once said that she is his favourite Norma but I just can't see anything special about her voice.

Yes I knew he said that about her, but he said the same thing about Elaine Paige, Glenn Close... I've no doubt he even said it to Faye Dunaway before he gave her the boot! Maybe Brown's acting was good, I don't know, but her voice is just way too overstretched in pretty much every song.

Definitely Glenn Close. I also really like Elaine Paige. Haven't heard much of Diahann Carroll, but I've heard she was good.

What about Joes? I like Alan Campbell and Ron Bohmer, but I haven't heard Earl, and I'm sure he was good. I also haven't heard Rex Smith. I like Hugh Jackman's acting, but I've never cared for his voice, so I can't really count him among my favorites.

Favorite Normas... I think if I had to pick just one, it would be Diahann Carroll; I love her voice and acting in the role, and she has my favorite rendition of "As If We Never Said Goodbye." Other faves include Helen Schneider, Glenn Close, Daniela Ziegler, and Simone Kleinsma (from the Dutch cast). I also liked what I heard from Debra Byrne, but think I'll need a better-quality recording than the one I have to know if she's a favorite.

As for Joes, my favorite is once again from the Canadian cast -- Rex Smith, who's awesome. I also like Alan Campbell, Earl Carpenter, Ron Bohmer, and Uwe Kröger (which surprised me; I'm not generally a fan of his).